Licensed Practical Nurse Employment in Indiana
Graduates of LPN programs are prepared to work a variety of settings. These include hospitals, doctor's offices, clinics, nursing homes, and corporations. Licensed practical nurses hold over 725,000 jobs in the United States and about one in five LPN works part time. Over a quarter of all licensed practical nurses work in hospitals, 25 percent in nursing care facilities and another 12 percent in offices of physicians.
Many colleges in Indiana report 100% placement of their graduates with an average annual starting salary of $52,000 for registered nurses and from $22,000 to $35,000 for practical nurses. Other licensed practical nurses are employed by home health care services, public and private educational institutions, employment services, community care facilities for the elderly, outpatient care centers, and Federal, State, and local government agencies.
Most licensed practical nurses in hospitals and nursing care facilities work a 40-hour week, but because patients need around the clock care, some work nights, weekends, and holidays. LPN often stand up for long periods of time and help patients move in bed or walk. In some employment settings licensed practical nurses may be required to work 12-hour shifts for three days each week instead of the standard 40-hour work week but they are considered to be employed full-time and get the same benefits as LPN working eight hours each day for five days a week.
Most Indiana licensed practical nurses provide basic care, taking vital signs such as temperature, blood pressure, pulse, and respiration rate. Licensed practical nurses also prepare and give injections, monitor catheters, apply dressings, treat bedsores, and give alcohol rubs and massages. LPN in hospitals and long-term care facilities monitor their patients and report adverse reactions to medications or treatments. An LPN may also collect samples for testing, perform routine laboratory tests, feed patients, and record food and fluid intake and output.
Licensed practical nurses (LPN) care for the sick, injured, convalescent, and disabled under the direction of physicians and registered nurses. To help keep patients comfortable, licensed practical nurses assist with bathing, dressing, and personal hygiene. In States where the law allows, they may administer prescribed medicines or start intravenous fluids. Some Indiana LPN help deliver, care for, and feed infants and experienced licensed practical nurses may supervise nursing assistants and aides.
Licensed practical nurses face hazards from caustic chemicals, radiation, and infectious diseases such as hepatitis. LPN are subject to back injuries when moving patients and shock from electrical equipment and often must deal with the stress of heavy workloads. In addition, the patients they care for may be confused, irrational, agitated, or uncooperative. In addition to providing routine bedside care, licensed practical nurses in nursing care facilities help to evaluate residents' needs, develop care plans, and supervise the care provided by nursing aides. In doctors' offices and clinics, LPN employees may make appointments, keep records, and perform other clerical duties. LPN who work in private homes may be required to teach family members simple nursing tasks.
Helpful Nursing Advice and Resources
Why Should You Become a Nurse? | NCLEX Review Tips | Online Master Degree Programs in Nursing | Should You Work as a NICU Nurse? | Why Work as a Travel Nurse? | Should New Nurses Work in the ICU? | Medical Surgical Nurses | Night Shift Nursing | How to Get Enough Sleep | Foreign Educated Nurses | How to Choose a Great Workplace | How to Protect the Confidentiality of Patient Information | Ethics in Nursing | NCLEX Practice Questions | Scholarships for Nursing Students | Online Nursing Schools and Programs | Everything You Should Know About the Boards of Nursing | Financial Aid for Nursing Students
